Resonator / Dobro

[Guitamo]

I have been learning open tunings for the past few years. I am at the point where I want to purchase a resonator style guitar. I know very little about them so I was looking for some suggestions. I want something of good quality. I have been using a Taylor 710 up to now. Can anybody enlighten me on this subject ?

[Allman_Fan]

consider this:

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/R...sExplained.htm

Some decisions:
Square neck/ Round neck
One cone/Three cones
Spider Bridge/Biscuit Bridge
Wood Body/Metal Body

There are other decisions too, that are on regular accoustic guitar like:

12 frets/14 frets to body
Type of tuning pegs/keys
Nut
Cutaways
Electric?
Cosmetics

[29er]

You should check out the Reso Forum:

http://www.resohangout.com/forum/

Lot's of good info there. Not that you won't find it here, but the Reso nuts over there are a great bunch. I just discovered it myself. Bought a nice used Beard round neck from a member.

Good luck!

[montydog]

Hi,

I play dobro as my main instrument so I can give you some pointers. A good resource for information is The Resohangout. Ask anything on there and you'll get plenty of help.

I assume you mean a wood bodied reso as you've used the term dobro. Do you want to play lapstyle as most bluegrass and county players do or fingerstyle like a conventional guitar which is how most blues/rock musicians play the instrument?

If it's on you lap as I play, you need a squareneck instrument. If you want to play conventionally, you need a roundneck. Also, the squareneck is played with fingerpicks and a steel bar (bit like a pedal steel) and the roundneck is fretted conventionally.

How much money do you want to spend? The best bang for your bucks dobro either round or squareneck is the Paul Beard Signature Gold Tone range. I have one of these and they are beautifully made, professional quality instruments. They retail for around $800 depending on the wood you go for. I recommend maple rather than mahogany as it's brighter and punchier. The best place to buy is direct from the Beard website as these are all set-up by the factory in Maryland. These dobros are designed by Beard and built to Beard spec in China and then set-up in the US.

The US built Beard dobro range are all excellent instruments which vary from $2000 up to $8000 in price. You won't go wrong with any of them.

There are also around a dozen independant dobro builders in the US producing fantastic instruments to order and to your spec. Check out the ResoHangout for more info.

Don't buy anything cheaper than the Beard Gold Tones; you will be wasting your money.

Hope this is of some help.

Good luck

[jmcphail]

There is a bit of a dividing line along musical style as well.

This isn't carved in stone, but blues players seem to use National-style single and tri-cone instruments with a biscuit bridge or t-bar bridge, and country players seem to play Dobro-style instruments with a spider bridge.

You have been given lots of good advice already. I think the best thing you can do is play as many different resonators as possible so that you can determine which one appeals most to you. The sounds of these instruments vary widely and some people have several of them. There are wood bodies (various woods), metal bodies (various metals), spider bridges, biscuit bridges, single-cones, tri-cones, and other variations, including, but not limited to, neck widths and scales lengths. It is all a matter of what will work best for you in terms of sound(s), playability, appearance or whatever other criteria are important to you.

I only allow myself one resonator and it is a National Vintage Steel Delphi. To my ears, it is the best I have heard as it nails the sounds I like to get out of a resonator. It also really like the way it plays.

Hope this helps.

[rbock]

If it's bluegrass twang you want, get a spider bridge. If it's delta whomp, get a biscuit.

[Brew]

I hear there is one up for sale in the classifieds!!! shameful plug

[Gypsyblue]

Do you play slide on your lap or with the guitar held flat (Dobro/spider bridge) or with the guitar held normally (single cone resonator/Tricone)? That should tell you what to get right there.

[drive-south]

As stated, the Dobro with spider bridge over 1.5" cone is popular with Blue-grass players. Most are playing square-neck/lap style (ie: Jerry Douglas).
These have a twangy tone and generally don't have a lot of low-end.

Blues players migrate to the National single-cone resos. These have biscuit bridges over the smaller 9.5" cone. These have a more solid low end, but lack sustain. These are almost exlusively round-neck and played "spanish style".

The ultimate is actually the oldest design "Tricone". These have 3 smaller cones. Tricones have very solid bass, plus the sustain that the biscuit-style reso lacks. Tricones are available in square as well as round neck.

Since you have been playing a Taylor, I assume you want a round neck and will be playing "Spanish style". The opposite of "Spanish" is "Hawiaan" or lap style.

I currently own a Dobro DM33H (spider) and a National Style O (biscuit) but as you may guess, I've got GAS for a Tricone.

Play them all and decide which one you like best. I advise getting a high-quality National or Dobro as apposed to the budget instruments that people tend to outgrow quick. If you want a Dobro, there are many high-quality builders besides Dobro including Beard.

If you are intent on getting a budget instrument, I recommend Gold Tone.

[montydog]

Just one other thing to avoid confusion. "Dobro" is the brand name now owned by Gibson. "dobro" (no capital D) is a generic term for the instrument. Kind of like how Xerox has become another word for paper copy.

I'm not speaking from personal experience but Dobro brand instruments do not have a good reputation among reso players. Gibson has not handled the musical heritage that came with the name very well and I would say avoid them.

[jmcphail]

No GAS here... I knew I wanted a Tricone from the beginning and haven't strayed for whatever reason. FYI, NRP has a lot of sound samples on their site, and you can also order their sampler CD for more critical listening.

If the OP goes toward Spanish style, perhaps for bottleneck, he should be prepared for a transition to a big neck. These designs don't fool around - they're designed for VOLUME and for high string tensions.

Also AFAIK all resonators protect the bridge and cones with some kind of contraption covering it, and adjustments to your boom-chuck technique may be necessary if you like to mute.

Originally Posted by drive-south

I currently own a Dobro DM33H (spider) and a National Style O (biscuit) but as you may guess, I've got GAS for a Tricone.

[BluesBelly]

Several years ago after much research I bought a Gold Tone round neck reso. I did a ton of research before I purchased and this was the best bang for the buck. Round neck plays like a regular guitar, sq. neck lays flat.
http://www.beardguitars.com/guitargoldtonepbrca.html
I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.
Gold Tone is the import brand handled and designed by Paul Beard.I believe Beard does the set-up in the US at their facility.

I play this with a brass slide in open or standard tunings and I also play it fingerstyle with or wiyhout finger picks depending on the desured tone.

Best,

Blues

[tdq]

I was very confused initially when I first realised I wanted a resonator (Single Cone, Tricone, Spider, Biscuit, roundneck, squareneck, etc) Lots of good advice listed, but also just type in "resonator" into youtube. There's bucketloads there and you'll quickly get an idea of some of the major options. I'm still not sure what I want but I've narrowed it down considerably.